The present invention relates generally to paper-like piece handling apparatus for use in automatic vending machines, money changing machines and the like, which handle paper-like pieces such as bills (pieces of paper money or bank notes), tickets and cards, for evaluating the authenticity of inserted paper-like pieces and cumulatively storing those paper-like pieces having been ascertained as authentic. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved paper-like piece handling apparatus including a means, such as a shutter, for opening and closing a paper-like piece transport path, and an improved method for opening/closing the paper-like piece transport path in such a paper-like piece handling apparatus.
Most of automatic vending machines and money changing machines include a certain type of paper-like piece handling apparatus which evaluates the authenticity of every inserted paper-like piece and cumulatively stores only paper-like pieces having been ascertained as authentic. Generally, the conventional paper-like piece handling apparatus include a transport mechanism for transporting each paper-like piece, inserted or deposited through an insertion opening, along a predetermined transport path, an evaluation means for evaluating the authenticity of the paper-like piece transported via the transport mechanism, and a stacker mechanism for storing each paper-like piece, ascertained as authentic, into a cumulative paper-like piece storage section. This type of paper-like piece handling apparatus is also equipped with a shutter for opening/closing the paper-like piece transport path with a view to preventing unfair acts by wicked persons, such as forcible pulling out of the inserted paper-like piece through the insertion opening.
Examples of the paper-like piece handling apparatus equipped with such a shutter are known, for example, from Japanese Utility Model Publication No. SHO-60-25643 and Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. HEI-7-249146. The first-mentioned No. SHO-60-25643 publication discloses a paper-like piece handling apparatus that uses a solenoid as a drive source for the shutter. In this paper-like piece handling apparatus, the solenoid is activated, in response to insertion of a paper-like piece, to retract the shutter from the transport path so as to clear or open the transport path. After the inserted paper-like piece has passed the shutter, the solenoid is deactivated to allow the shutter to advance into the transport path for blocking or closing the transport path. The second-mentioned No. HEI-7-249146 publication discloses a paper-like piece handling apparatus that includes a motor as a drive source for the shutter and a motor-motion conversion mechanism for converting the rotary motion of the motor into linear motion. Here, in response to insertion of a paper-like piece, the motor is activated to rotate in one direction and the rotary motion of the motor is converted via the conversion mechanism into linear motion to retract the shutter from the transport path so as to open the transport path. After the inserted paper-like piece has passed the shutter, the motor is activated again to rotate in another direction and the rotary motion, in the other direction, of the motor is converted via the conversion mechanism into linear motion to allow the shutter to advance into the transport path for closing the transport path. Namely, these conventional paper-like piece handling apparatus are constructed to prevent paper-like pieces from being forcibly pulled out through the insertion opening by an unfair act, by causing the shutter to close the transport path after the introduction of each paper-like piece into the apparatus.
However, the above-mentioned conventional paper-like piece handling apparatus tend to become very costly, because they use the drive, such as the solenoid or motor, to move the shutter between the positions for opening and closing the transport path. Particularly, in the case where the motor is used as the drive for opening and closing the shutter, the separate conversion mechanism is required for converting the rotary motion of the motor into linear motion, which would add to the number of necessary component parts and hence unavoidably increase the overall cost of the apparatus.